Feature Friday: "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" by Jenny Han

Sometime over the course of the past couple of weeks, I read To All the Boys I've Loved Before, by Jenny Han.

Image from http://www.dearjennyhan.com/teen.html

I thought the concept was interesting, and I guess I've been seeing it around since P.S. I Still Love You comes out in a few days. Also, it was available from my library on Overdrive.

As much as the title hints about being in love with boys, I found this story to be just as much about Lara Jean's relationships with herself and her family members. All of their lives are changing, Margot is leaving for Scotland to go to college, and she's been the rudder for the family since their mom died years ago. Lara Jean has to take the helm, and while perhaps she's not quite as organized as her older sister, things seem to work out. Perhaps the family relationships stick out to me because I related with Lara Jean more on the level of caring about her dad and missing her mom than anything to do with the boys. She's discovering how to think of things and do things for herself, without Margot to guide her, and I think Lara Jean is learning and acknowledging that. 

Honestly, I expected a little more humor from the love-letter situation. I didn't care much for Peter (I don't think you're supposed to), but I also wasn't over-the-moon for Josh. I think Han did a good job of capturing the conflicting emotions of teenage love (or at least teenage like), and Lara Jean is in an interesting position to experience an extra layer of conflict, because her relationship isn't real. Or is it? seems to be the question.

Overall I found this a mostly light and enjoyable read, and if I get a chance I'll probably pick up the next in the series just to see what happens.

Until next time!
Julia